Christian Eriksen

After a short international break, the Premier League is back with matchday 32. A London Derby highlights this set of fixtures as Tottenham travel to Stamford Bridge to play Chelsea.

Premier League table heading into matchday 32 (Source: TheScore)

Stamford Bridge has been a place of horrors for Tottenham as they haven’t won there in any competition since 1990. Just two seasons ago, Tottenham visited Chelsea late in the season in the midst of the title push. They went up 2-0 before conceding two goals in the second half to draw 2-2. Throughout the fixture, tempers flared between both sides and with that draw, Leicester City were crowned champions.

Tottenham currently sit third in the table, five points clear of Chelsea who sit in fifth. However, Chelsea are the only team to win at Tottenham’s temporary home ground this season, Wembley Stadium, winning 2-1 in August.

Tottenham Preview

Tottenham enter this fixture in great form having won five out of their last six in all competitions. Their only loss in that span came in the Champions League at the hands of Juventus. With Chelsea hot on their tail in the race for the top four, a win at Stamford Bridge would go a long way towards guaranteeing top four for Spurs.

Injury Concerns

Like their previous two games, Tottenham will most likely be without their star striker Harry Kane who is dealing with an ankle issue. Nevertheless, they have scored seven goals in their past two matches without Kane, albeit against worse defenses. Toby Alderweireld, who hasn’t featured in the starting eleven in the Premier League since November because of a hamstring issue, was fit enough to play ninety minutes in the Belgian back-line in a 4-0 defeat of Saudi Arabia. However, Mauricio Pochettino holds his players to incredible fitness standards. So, being fit enough in the eyes of Belgian manager, Roberto Martinez, is not equivalent to being fit in the eyes of Pochettino

Probable Line-up

Attack

Son is currently enjoying the best form of his career (Source: AFP)

Son Heung-Min enters the match in the best form of his career and should start in place of Kane up top. The prolific Korean attacker has scored seven goals in his past five matches in all competitions for Tottenham. With Son playing up top, either Erik Lamela or Lucas Moura will start in his usual position out wide. Lamela is the more likely of the two as he not only has attacking prowess going forward but is also exceptional tracking back and helping out his fullbacks. Christian Eriksen and Dele Alli will round out the attacking quartet.

Midfield

Dembélé will almost certainly start as one of the two center midfielders against Chelsea. The other spot in the midfield will be held by either Eric Dier or Victor Wanyama. However, Wanyama was rumored to have picked up a small knock on international duty. Thus, expect Pochettino to play it safe and start Dier. A jack-of-all-trades, Dier has already played as a center midfielder throughout this season while Wanyama was previously injured.

Defense

With Chelsea entering the fixture in desperate need of a win, a sturdy Tottenham defense will be key. Both Kieran Trippier and Serge Aurier are both possible options for Pochettino at right back. Aurier is better equipped to deal with the pace of Chelsea’s wingers. However, he is also incredibly prone to making mistakes and is known to give away boneheaded penalties. Trippier is certainly the safer option although Aurier has a bigger upside.

Alderweireld has battled hamstring problems throughout this season (Source: PA Images)

Toby Alderweireld, who is in the midst of a contract dispute, has recently regained his fitness. However, it is a tall task to ask him to start his first Premier League match since November against Chelsea. When in form, Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen form a dynamic center-back pairing. However, in Alderweireld’s absence, Davinson Sánchez has filled in remarkably well. Pochettino should keep Alderweireld on the bench for this match and wait to bring him back in a more favorable setting.

Look for Tottenham to line up in a 4-2-3-1 with a back line of Trippier, Sanchez, Vertonghen and Ben Davies. In the center midfield, Moussa Dembélé will start along Eric Dier. Ahead of them will be the trio of Lamela, Alli, and Erisken. Leading the attack, Son will try to continue his great goal-scoring form playing as the lone striker. Finally, Lloris will get the start in net for the away side.

Chelsea Preview

Chelsea conclude a relatively difficult set of fixtures, including games against Manchester United, Manchester City, and Barcelona by hosting Tottenham. The Blues enter this match in less than stellar form having won just two matches out of their last six in all competitions. However, they did pick up a win in their last outing beating Leicester City 2-1 in the FA Cup quarter-finals.

Manager, Antonio Conte is already under immense pressure from both the fans and the board alike heading into this fixture. Thus, winning against Tottenham is of the utmost importance for Chelsea. They are already slightly adrift from the top four and a loss in this fixture would only exasperate that. However, with history on their side, they have to feel incredibly confident heading into the match.

Injury Concerns

The Blues enter the match with fewer injury concerns than their counterparts. There are question marks around the fitness of goalkeeper, Thibaut Courtois, and center-back, Andreas Christensen. However, both are expected to play. Center-back, David Luiz, is unlikely to play as he is still recovering from a previous ankle injury. Although he was not expected to play to begin with, Ross Barkley will also likely miss the match due to injury.

Probable Line-up

Attack

Alvaro Morata will look to build upon his goal vs. Leicester City (Source: AP)

The biggest concern facing Conte ahead of the match is who he wants to lead his attack. If he decides to play one striker, he could elect to play Eden Hazard up top in a false-nine role. Willian and Pedro would both play alongside him on either wing. Conte could also decide to go a different route and play either Alvaro Morata or Olivier Giroud, both more typical strikers. Morata broke his goal-scoring drought in Chelsea’s last fixture. This should instill some confidence in him heading into the clash with Tottenham. If Conte decides to go with a two-striker formation, he will start Hazard alongside either Giroud or Morata. However, playing a two-striker formation would involve benching Willian who has been in incredible form.

Midfield

The midfield combination that Conte decides to go with will depend on which formation he uses. If he goes with his usual 3-4-3 alignment, N’Golo Kanté and Danny Drinkwater will be the center-midfield pairing. If he elects to go with a 3-5-2 formation, Kanté and Drinkwater will most likely be joined by either Tiémoué Bakayoko or Cesc Fàbregas in the center-midfield. Despite his poor form, Bakayoko is the more likely of the two as he is more defensive minded and could help contain Dembélé. In either formation, Marcos Alonso will line up on the left side while Davide Zappacosta will line up on the right.

Defense

The status of Christensen heading into this fixture is up in the air (Source: Getty)

The only question mark for the Chelsea defense is whether or not Christensen will be fit. If he is fit, he should slide into a back three along with Antonio Rüdiger and César Azpilicueta. However, if he is not fit, Gary Cahill would start in place of him. There is a noticeable dip in quality for Chelsea going from Christensen to Cahill. Thus, if Cahill starts, expect Tottenham to attempt to exploit him throughout the game.

Look for Chelsea to use a 3-5-2 formation as Conte adapts his tactics to better contain this Tottenham squad. Assuming they’re all fit, Christensen, Rüdiger, and Azpilicueta should line up together in the back. Bakayoko, Kanté, and Drinkwater will all play in the center midfield as they pack in tight and try to dominate the middle of the field. As per the usual, Zappacosta and Alonso will line up on the right and left sides respectively. Up top, Hazard will play alongside Morata as Chelsea look to cause the Tottenham back-line trouble with the two-striker approach. Finally, Courtois will start in net. Willian, Giroud, and Fabregas should all provide good attacking options off the bench if Chelsea are chasing a goal late.

Prediction

Tottenham enter the match in far better form out of the two teams. However, previous form never seems to matter in this fixture, especially following an international break. Despite not missing a beat in their previous two games without Kane, Tottenham might struggle to break down Chelsea’s defense. Chelsea’s backline is a totally different monster compared to those of their previous opponents, Bournemouth and Swansea City. Tottenham would likely be content with leaving Stamford Bridge with a draw. Thus, they may play fairly defensively and try to hit Chelsea on the counter while settling for a draw.

Desperately needing three points, Chelsea should come out of the gates playing very positive attacking football. An early goal would especially do wonders to bring the home supporters behind the squad. If Kante and Bakayoko can effectively contain Eriksen and Dembélé, Chelsea should be successful in stifling Tottenham’s attack. With great options off the bench, Chelsea will be able to bring on attacking quality if chasing a late goal.

Chelsea 1-1 Tottenham

Featured image by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images

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With Chelsea having one hand on the Premier League trophy, those who fell short are already looking to new hope next season. A highly anticipated transfer window awaits in the summer, and there are improvements to be made for all the top clubs.

Chelsea

Romelu Lukaku is seen as a potential replacement for Diego Costa at Stamford Bridge. (Photo by Goal.com)

For presumed champions, Chelsea faces quite a bit of uncertainty heading into next season. Rifts between manager Antonio Conte and striker Diego Costa have caused the latter to be linked with a move to China. Real Madrid is also reportedly interested in superstar Eden Hazard.

It is paramount that the Blues hang on to Hazard and find an adequate replacement for Costa if he leaves. Two options are Everton’s Romelu Lukaku and Real Madrid’s Alvaro Morata. Both are quick, strong and left-footed handfuls for defenders. Lukaku once played with Chelsea and a deal featuring Hazard for Morata and money has been rumored as a possibility.

Chelsea will also want to make sure they hang onto goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, who is seemingly always linked to leaving Stamford Bridge.

Tottenham

Mauricio Pochettino will be searching for the final piece to his Spurs title puzzle. After likely coming up short back to back seasons, the Spurs need to sign players to upgrade the wing and midfield positions.

Despite a great second half to the season, Son Heung-Min is not a true winger, and Crystal Palace’s Wilfried Zaha, who has been linked to Tottenham, would be a great fit. He would add a pacy threat and could cross the ball into Harry Kane.

In the midfield, Moussa Dembele will turn 30 this summer. A young, dominant midfield presence alongside Dele Alli would boost the Spurs. The Monaco duo of Fabinho and Tiemoue Bakayoko are options, as well as Nice’s Wylan Cyprien.

As far as departures, Kyle Walker has been linked to a move to Man City. While his departure would be a blow, the Spurs should be fine as long as they retain Kane, Alli, Christian Eriksen and Toby Alderweireld.

Liverpool

Jurgen Klopp has continued to deliver results despite what many consider to be an underwhelming squad. Liverpool can perhaps improve more than any of their competitors with a good transfer window this summer.

Signing Virgil Van Dijk would sure up Liverpool’s woes at the back. (Photo by Sports Mole)

Klopp’s most glaring issue is at the back where Liverpool was repeatedly vulnerable. Alberto Moreno is not a true left back, and the Reds could use a solid center-back to pair with Joel Matip. Klopp is looking at Southampton duo Ryan Bertrand and Virgil van Dijk to fill the void. He also has his eyes on Burnley center-back Michael Keane.

Liverpool could also target a true striker this summer. While Roberto Firmino is great, he is not a true striker. Daniel Sturridge can’t stay healthy, and Divock Origi has been inconsistent. Romelu Lukaku or Lyon’s Alexandre Lacazette could work in Klopp’s system.

The good news for Liverpool is that they aren’t expected to lose anyone major in the summer. If Klopp can be smart with his buying, the Reds could be really improved ahead of a likely Champions League campaign.

(Featured Image by Sportskeeda.com)

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Europe’s qualification process for the World Cup involves nine groups of six teams. The winner of each group automatically qualifies for the tournament while eight out of nine second place teams advance to a separate head to head playoff. With so many prominent footballing nations in Europe, the spots are highly competitive.

Group A

Halfway through the qualifiers, France sit at the top of Group A. Sure to be one of the favorites in Russia next summer, Les Bleus are having no problems in qualifying. The Netherlands, who missed out on Euro 2016, are in danger of missing out on Russia as well. Despite talent such as Arjen Robben, the Dutch sit fourth on 7 points, six behind the French. Sweden sits in second with 10 points, despite the retirement of Zlatan Ibrahimovic from the national team.

Group B

Granit Xhaka (Photo courtesy: goal.com)

The top two in Group B seem to be clear cut at this point, with Switzerland and Portugal distancing themselves from the field. The question is, who will qualify automatically and who will have to go to the gruesome two leg playoff stage? Switzerland are well rounded with players such as Arsenal’s Granit Xhaka, Wolfsburg’s Ricardo Rodriguez, and Borussia Monchengladbach keeper Yann Sommer. Portugal, of course, are Euro 2016 champions and led by the brilliant Cristiano Ronaldo. Switzerland have a three point advantage over Portugal with 15. Hungary sit third with 7.

Group C

Group C was always going to be Germany’s from the get go. The reigning world champions sit comfortably atop the group with 15 points. The fight for a potential playoff spot is in progress between Northern Ireland, Czech Republic, and Azerbaijan. The Northern Irish, who sit second with ten, are looking to build on a strong performance at Euro 2016. The Czech team are without longtime goalkeeper and current Arsenal player Petr Cech.

Group D

Serbia and Ireland currently sit atop Group D with 11 points. The Serbians have many prominent Premier League players such as Chelsea midfielder Nemanja Matic, Man City left back Aleksandr Kolarov, and former Chelsea man Branislav Ivanovic who now plays for Zenit St. Petersburg. Ireland made it to the knockout stages of Euro 2016. Sitting four points back with 7 are dangerous customers in Wales and Austria. Led by Gareth Bale and David Alaba respectively, both teams are capable of finding themselves in Russia next summer.

Group E

Robert Lewandowski looks set to play in his first World Cup next summer as Poland have taken a six point lead in their group. The Polish team also features Monaco defender Kamil Glik and Napoli striker Arkadiusz Milik among others. The battle for second is close, so close that the one second place team omitted from the playoff on points scored could very well be from this group. Christian Eriksen-led Denmark is in contention for that spot along with Romania and Montenegro.

Group F

England have put themselves in a good position to win Group F. The Three Lions have a four point lead on Slovakia and five point lead on Slovenia. The Liverpool duo of Daniel Sturridge and Adam Lallana have each scored twice in the campaign. Scotland is also in the group and sits in fourth. Slovakia played in Euro 2016 and enjoy the services of Napoli midfielder Marek Hamsik.

Group G

Gigi Buffon (Photo courtesy: zimbio.com)

Another group that has seemingly erupted into a two horse race, Group G contains two of the games’ greatest nations in Spain and Italy. Both sides have had to rebuild from the remains of golden generations in recent years. Spain now has David de Gea and Thiago while Italy boasts Marco Verratti and Leonardo Bonucci. However veteran presence still exists with Andres Iniesta and Gianluigi Buffon. The third place team fighting to stay alive is an up and coming Israel side which should see more players move to Europe soon.

Group H

After disappointing in recent tournaments, Belgium look set to get another opportunity next summer. They lead their group by two points over Greece and three points over Bosnia and Herzegovina. Belgium is loaded with talent such as Eden Hazard, Kevin de Bruyne, Thibaut Cortouis and Romelu Lukaku in the Premier League alone. Greece is a scrappy defensive side with solid players such as Roma’s Kostas Manolas. Manolas’ current teammate and former Man City striker Edin Dzeko features for Bosnia and Herzegovina along with Juventus midfielder and free-kick maestro Miralem Pjanic.

Group I

Following a heartbreaking Euro 2016 exit, Croatia and its “golden generation” currently have the upper hand on an automatic spot in Russia. Led by a superb midfield of Luka Modric, Ivan Rakitic and up and comer Marcelo Brozovic of Inter Milan, Croatia are certainly favorites to maintain their top spot. In second is Iceland, who grabbed headlines last summer with an incredible run in France culminating with a victory over England. Swansea playmaker Gylfi Sigurdsson is their vocal point. Ukraine and Turkey sit two points behind the Icemen. Players such as Yovhan Konoplyanka and Arda Turan bring quality to those sides.

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Solid recent play has maintained helped Chelsea maintain a double digit lead in the Prem as we round into March. While the Blues have excelled, other top teams have struggled, which has lead to a tight race for the top four.

Two of the teams firmly entrenched in the top four race are Arsenal and Liverpool, who meet this weekend in a critical match-up between two sides who have had less than encouraging starts to 2017. This match-up headlines a weekend full of potential traps for teams toward the top of the table to trip on.

Liverpool vs Arsenal

A rematch of Liverpool’s victory at the Emirates on the opening weekend of the season, both sides could desperately use three points to jump-start their respective starts to the new year.

Liverpool are coming off an embarrassing defeat to Leicester on Monday, in which their defense crumbled as Jamie Vardy had a field day retrieving long balls. Philippe Coutinho and Sadio Mane headline an always dangerous attack, but Liverpool’s defense is always a concern. Alberto Moreno is not a true full back and there is a lack of depth at the center back position behind starters Joel Matip and Dejan Lovren. If Liverpool’s defense can bend and not break against the Gunners, then Jurgen Klopp’s men will have a good chance Saturday.

For Arsenal, it appears to be another season where they are simply fighting for the top four. Uncertainty over the futures of manager Arsene Wenger and stars Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil has put a damper on the Gunners’ season. Arsenal’s defense will be severely tested by Liverpool’s attack at Anfield on Saturday and Arsenal will need to take advantage of the hosts’ shaky defense.

Liverpool 2 Arsenal 1

Tottenham vs Everton

Both sides are in stunning form domestically at the moment. Everton are yet to lose in the new year and Tottenham are coming off a 4-0 thrashing of Stoke City. Spurs’ faint title hopes are on the line every week now as they must get three points every fixture.

The hosts are very tough to handle this season when playing in the confines of White Hart Lane. Star striker Harry Kane is coming off a hat trick and midfielders Dele Alli and Christian Eriksen have had masterful seasons. Spurs must be consistent for all ninety minutes and not let discipline cause dangerous set piece situations against a team that excels in scoring off of them.

Everton are nipping at the heels of Manchester United at the bottom of the “top six”. Romelul Lukaku shares the title of leading goalscorer this season. Ross Barkley brings creativity to the midfield and Joel Robles has been somewhat of a revelation in goal this season. Ronald Koeman is very good at getting his players prepared for big games like this one and these are the types of games that the Toffee’s will need to perform in if they want to be viewed as a top English side.

Tottenham 3 Everton 2

Other Predictions: (Home in Bold)

Manchester United 2 Bournemouth 0

Stoke City 1 Middlesbrough 0

Leicester 1 Hull 0

Swansea 2 Burnley 1

Watford 2 Southampton 2

West Brom 1 Crystal Palace 1

Manchester City 3 Sunderland 1

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We are just past the halfway point in this Premier League season. As it stands, six teams are within ten points of the top. January is the final chance for these sides to polish their team as the final dash for the title is in sight.

Chelsea: Tiemoue Bakayoko, Monaco

Monaco’s Tiemoue Bakayoko could help stabilize Chelsea’s midfield.

The Blues have been tearing through the league this season. New manager Antonio Conte has instilled his 3-4-3 formation into the side and Chelsea has rocketed to the top of the league. The brilliant play of summer signing N’Golo Kante has been a large reason behind Chelsea’s turnaround season. The ability to win the ball in the midfield has allowed the Blues to feed their very talented attacking players. Eden Hazard and Diego Costa have each enjoyed bounce-back seasons.

If a side is going to run the 3-4-3 effectively, they need excellent defensive midfield play to make up for the one less defender at the back. While Kante and Nemanja Matic have done well thus far, Chelsea is still thin at the position. Bakayoko is just 22 years old and is enjoying a breakout season for Monaco. His dribbling ability through the middle would allow Hazard and Willian to play more wide. From there they can whip in crosses to Costa, one of the best in the air in all of England. Bakayoko’s youth is enticing as Matic is 28 and has been inconsistent at times this season. Although his playing time could be limited initially, Bakayoko will undoubtedly be a big part of the future at Stamford Bridge if Conte is able to acquire his services.

Liverpool: Quincy Promes, Spartak Moscow

Liverpool target Quincy Promes has helped Spartak Moscow to the top of the Russian Premier League

In Jurgen Klopp’s second season at Anfield, Liverpool have arisen as serious title contenders at this point in the season. Their plethora of attacking players, including Sadio Mane, Philippe Coutinho, and Roberto Firmino have been very efficient in the attacking third.

However, Klopp will be without Mane for a large part of the next month. The Senegal international will be participating in the Africa Cup of Nations. The tournament comes at a critical time in Liverpool’s season with matches against Manchester United and Chelsea on there horizon. Promes has had a great season at Spartak. He has netted six goals and also has six assists in the Russian Premier League as Spartak have surprised by leading at this point in the season. It may be tough to coax Promes from Spartak, but Klopp should try. Promes will give Liverpool some width while Mane is away. He can play opposite Mane, which will benefit the Reds when Mane returns from international duty.

Tottenham: Wilfried Zaha, Crystal Palace

Wilfried Zaha would bring creativity on the wing to White Hart Lane

Once again, Mauricio Pochettino has put Spurs squarely in the title conversation. Tottenham sit third in the table at the turn of the calendar year. Young players have stepped up this season, including 20-year-old midfielder Dele Alli. Spurs are fighting off Real Madrid for his services.

However, Spurs could use an outside threat to compliment their plethora of middle attacking players. Alli, Harry Kane, and Christian Eriksen have combined to score 25 goals in the league this season. All of those players are under the age of 25. 24-year-old Zaha could add to this “young core” that Pochettino has built at White Hart Lane. Zaha, who plays on the left wing at Crystal Palace, would compliment Kane, Eriksen, and Alli in the middle. Zaha is extremely skilled with the ball at his feet and has a tremendous ability to get crosses in from tough angles. Erik Lamela has been underwhelming again this season and Zaha could fill the void for Spurs.

Manchester City: Holger Badstuber, Bayern Munich

Holger Badstuber’s experience at the back could prove invaluable for Guardiola’s Manchester City.

Pep Guardiola’s highly anticipated first year at the Etihad has been up and down. A victory against Barcelona in the Champions League showed City’s potential under Pep. However, they have been very inconsistent at times domestically. Their inconsistency, especially at the back, is the primary reason why they find themselves seven points adrift at this juncture.

Man City payed quite a bit to sign promising young English center back John Stones from Everton over the summer. Stones, while very talented and promising, is still raw. There has been more than one occasion where he has looked lost this season. Captain Vincent Kompany’s injury woes have continued and it is difficult to rely on him for an extended period of time. Eliaquim Mangala consistently underperforms when given a chance in the starting XI. Badstuber is very experienced at just 27 years of age. He has 119 caps for Bayern and 31 for the German National Team. While a permanent deal is unlikely, Pep could explore a six-month loan deal for Badstuber. This would give City added security and depth at the center back for the remainder of the season while Stones continues to develop.

Arsene Wenger is notorious for not making moves in the January transfer window, even when his team could really use them. Fifth place Arsenal have been by no means bad this season, but there is always room for improvement at the Emirates.

Promising young right back Hector Bellerin will be out for an extended period of time with an injury and his predecessor Mathieu Debuchy is rumored to be at odds with Wenger and on his way out of North London. This leaves the underwhelming Carl Jenkinson as the only right back on the Gunners’ roster. Ricardo, who is on loan at Ligue 1 leaders Nice from Porto has exploded this season. His 7.6 match rating on WhoScored.com has him placed in their Ligue XI team of the season. He provides sound defending and security at the back. Pereira is also a threat going forward, with a goal and three assists this season. He could be a perfect solution in the interim while Bellerin is injured. And his ability going forward could see him utilized as a wing-back or midfielder when the Spaniard returns.

Manchester United: Antoine Griezmann, Atletico Madrid

Antoine Griezmann would be an expensive, but worthwhile signing for Manchester United.

After a disastrous start to the season, Jose Mourinho has begun to right the ship at Old Trafford. Despite being ten points back of Chelsea, things are looking up at Old Trafford. Manchester United have played well throughout the season, but have failed to convert the many chances they create. 31 goals in the League is significantly less than the other five “contenders”.

Griezmann is widely considered one of the best players in the world and would not come cheap. However is precision in the final third is exactly what United need. Zlatan Ibrahimovic is a pure striker who doesn’t create, and while Paul Pogba is one of the most creative midfielders in the world, he is limited going forward to do the teams reliance on him from a defensive standpoint. Griezmann would fit right into Mourinho’s 4-2-3-1 as an attacking midfielder. He played this role brilliantly for France in this summer’s European Championships where he scored a tournament-high six goals. It also doesn’t hurt that Griezmann is close friends with fellow Frenchman Pogba. The two could do lots of damage if they play together under Mourinho.

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